Machine for printing labels.



- H. WRONKER.

' MACHINE FOB PRINTING LABELS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1913.

Patented N0v.3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D, C.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.,

m 9H 13 00 m v 4 NE .E dH es m a P.

H. WRONKER. MACHINE FOB PRINTIEG LABELS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 12, 1913.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-L|T|1.. WASHINGTON, D. C.

um'rnn STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

HIEISLE/I153;N'N WRGNKER, OF FRANKFORT ON Ti- E-Mlkllv, GERMANY.

MACHINE FOR PRINTING LABELS.

To (ZZZ/1U]! m 1' 6 may ow 02w:

Be it known that I, HERMANN WRONKER, of 67 Schumannstrasse, Frankfort-on-the- Main, in the Empire of Germany, merchant,

having invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Printing Labels, do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The present invention has for its subject a machine for printing labels, particularly labels in the form of strips for ticketing goods; a revoluble drum is used carrying a plurality of adjustable sets, of type-carriers, against which the paper strip to beprinted is pressed by means of an impression roller during the rotation of the drum, so that the types which are set in the printing position will print on the paper. As many lines can be printed on each'label as there are sets of type-carrying members on the drum;

The drawings illustrate by way of example a machine constructed according to the invention. v

Figure 1 shows the machine in s1de elevation. Fig. 2 shows a face view thereof; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view showing one set of the adjustable type-carrying members.

In the drawings, 1 is the machine frame consisting of a base and two side pieces connected together by suitably placed tie members (Fig. 3) and carrying the revoluble drum 2 with the sets of type carrying members 3. These consist, as is usual, of disks with types on their edges, the disks being carried on hollow shafts fittingconcentrr cally one" over another around a central spindle. The shafts pass through the cheeks of the drum and carryoutside the same suitable setting devices such as marked disks, Fig.3. The drum 2 is preferably formed as a double disk member without a circumferential cover in its. central part,

the cheeks being connected together by bolts i. If the drum is to have a cover, this must have openings at each of the sets of typecarrying disks in order to permit of the printing.

It is advantageous to support the drum 2 as shown by lateral annular pieces at its circumference working in concentric guideways in the frame 1 (Fig. 3) so that the interior of the drum may be quite free to accommodate the type sets 3 and so forth.

In order to enable any of thety pe sets Specification of Letters Patent. H Patentd N 3 191.}; Application filed November 12, 1913. S61'ialN0J8OlL55O.

to be thrown out of position for printing if v desired, each set is supported in bearings 5 adapted to slide in slots 6 in the drum cheeks so that they can be moved radially therein. Thus the type-carrying disks may be set as required either for printing or in a retracted position wherein they will not print. The adjustment may be efiected in any convenient way, for instance as, shown, i

by means of handles 7 having spring.- pressed pins for engaging each with one or other oftwo holes in the drum cheeks, as

seen clearly in Figs 3. In Fig. 1, the top most set of type-carrying disks is shown by a double dotted'circle in'the printing position, while a single dotted circle indicates the retracted position.

The :drum 2 is actuated for example by means of. teeth at one side the1."eof meshing with a pinion 9 on a shaft 8, which isadapt-y same face of the machine are arranged the various devices which operate upon the paper strip. In thelr order from below upward these areas follows: The guide roller 12, the impression roller 13, the feed device 141-, and the perforating device 15, in place of which latter any suitable cutting or severing device mightbe used.

The impression roller 13 is supported in bearings which slide in radial guideways 16 mounted on the frame, and is normally Double armed levers 18 pivoted at 19 serve to operate the impression roller, their shorter arms engaging with the roller while their longer arms slide against the drum cover or upon the lateral inwardly projecting portions of thedrum cheeks.

' Above the impression cylinder 13 is the feed device lt for the paper stripjthis device comprises two gripping rollers between whichthe strip is fed while one of them is adapted to be turned by a suitable device such as the ratchet 20. The pivoted lever carrying this ratchet has an arm 21 which slides against the drum cover. orthe lateral drawn backward by tension springs 17.

the perforated plates, the stamp 25 being,

normally held retracted by springs 26, but being pressed up when required by cam levers 28 pivoted at 27. The nose-like projections on the free ends of these levers 28 slide on the cover of drum 2 or its lateral surfaces.

The levers 18, 21 and 28 of the impression roller 18, feed device 1 1, and perforator 15 respectively are made with the free engaging ends laterally displaced relative to one another so that they may be operated respectively by sets of cams or the like which are also laterally displaced in a corresponding manner relatively toone another on the drum 2. p

The operation of the impression roller, of the feed device, and of the perforating device, is effected in each case by the press: ing outward of the free ends ofthe corresponding levers 18, 21 and 28. This is done by means of cams or the like 29, 30 and 81 arranged on the cover of the drum or on its lateral annular faces in such a way that the cam members 29 operate the lever 18 of the impression roller, cam members 30 operate the lever 21 of the feed device 14, and cam members 81 operate the lever 28 of the perforating device 15 during the rotation of the drum 2. The arrows in Fig. 1 indicate the direction of rotation of the drum 2, the di rection of motion of the paper strip 10, and the direction of motion in the pressing forward of the roller 13.

All the cams are constructed so as to be capable of adjustment both circumferenmoved quite out of its operating position.

Between the successive operations of the perforating device the forward feeding movements of the paper feed device take place, and between the respective paper feeding movements the printing movements take place. At each printing action, the roller 18 is thrust inward radially toward the center of the drum 2 so far that it presses the paper strip against the set of types which at that moment are in front of the roller, thus printing on the paper from said types. During the time of contact, although the drum 2 continues'to turn slowly, the printing is not blurred because the paper strip can also be carried forward in so far as is necessary by the contact with the types. The roller 18 springs back under the action of its springs 17, immediately after the lever 18 passes its cam 29. The forward movement of the impression roller must of course take place exactly at the moment when types which are to efiect the printing are brought by the rotating drum just to the printing position. The cams only need to be correctly adjusted or thrown out of action according to th size of ticket required (a larger stroke of lever 21 produces a longer ticket) the number of lines on the ticket, and the desired spacing of the lines thereon, in order to obtain whatever result is required.

All of the actuating parts (cams, levers and so forth) for the impression roller, the paper feed device, and the perforating device, are shown in duplicate at the two sides of the machine, but this is by'no means always essential.

In order to avoid the necessity of inking the types which are to print each time, an ink ribbon 82 like a typewriter ribbon is used. This is arranged between the drum 2 and the paper strip 10, behind the paper feeding and perforating mechanisms. The ink ribbon 82 is pressed with the paper 10, at each operation, against the types which are in the printing position, thus causing impressions of the types to, be formed on the paper. The ribbon 82 can move forward slightly with the types and paper during the printing, so that blurring is avoided.

In order to insure that theink ribbon shall be used up evenly, it is wound on rollers 8 3 and 34, one of which is arranged in the lower part of the frame and the other in the upper part thereof, so that the ink ribbon can be wound alternately from one roller on to the other, and back again. It is desirable, to provide means for moving the ribbon 82 positively from thedrum 2. In theexample illustrated, the upper roller 84 is providedwith a pawl and ratchet device for mechanical feeding thereof actuated by a lever engaging projections on. the drum 2.- The ribbon is rewound on the lower roller 88 when required by hand. The ribbon 82 can be changed easily when necessary so that it can be quickly replaced by a. new

one.

It is of great importance in the label printing machine described, that all movements for the various separate devices are derived from the turning movement of the drum 2, which bears the adjustable sets of type-carrying disks 8, the motions being given in such a simple manner that the whole machine can be actuated by hand and only takes up very little space.

The following is the sequence of actions in working with the machine described: The paper strip 10 runs off automatically from a revolubly supported roll, and is carried over the guide roller 12, then between the drum and the impression roller 13, betweenthe rollers of the feed device 14L,'and the perforated plates of the perforating device 15. The ink ribbon moves at the same time, as seen from Fig. 1, between the paper strip and the drum at the printing position. The types to be used for printing in the respective sets of type-carrying disks 3 are adjusted to position bymeans of their setting disks outside the drum cheeks and are pushed forward into the printing position by sliding outward their bearings 5 by l'neans of the handles 7, so that the paper strip and ink ribbon will be pressed against the types When the impression roller 18 is operated. IVhen the adjustment of the typecarrying members is completed, it is only necessary to set the drum 2 in rotation. Its cam members then act upon the levers of the various devices 13, la, 15 and 34-, so that they fulfil their functions in the proper order. If all the type sets are in action the roller 13, paper feed device It and ribbon feed device 34: will be operated four times in each revolution of the drum 2, and the perforating device 15 will operate once to divide one ticket from the next, each ticket having four lines printed upon it. The paperstrip ready printed and perforated to form the separate labels, comes out automatically from the perforating device so that the labels are ready for immediate use What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.\ In a machine for printing labels, the combination of a frame, a revoluble drum therein, and type-carrying members on said drum, means for turning the drum, a feed ing device for a paper strip, an impression device for pressing the strip against the types, means adapted to be operated automatically by the rotating drum, for actuating the feeding device and the impression device at the required moments, and means whereby one or more of the said type carrying members may be brought into the in operative position.

2. In a machine for printing labels, the combination of a frame, a revoluble drum and a plurality of sets of type-carrying .members thereon each comprising type-disks With means for adjusting them circumferentially, and meansfor adjusting each set of disks inwardly and outwardly, means for turning the drum, an impression device for pressing a paper strip against those type sets on the drum which are adjusted to the outward position, and means adapted-tobe actuated by surfaces on the drum for operating the impression device at the moments when the types are in position for printing.

3. In a machine for printinglabels. the combination of a frame, a revoluble drum supported therein, a plurality of sets of radially adjustable type-carrying members on said drum, means for rotating thedrum, and an impression device for pressing a paper strip at proper intervals against the types, I said impression device comprising a roller, means tending to retract the same, le' ver arms connected to the roller, and means attached tothe drum for acting upon said arms and adapted to move'them automatically to press the roller toward the drum at the required moments. I i I 4. In a machinefor printing labels, the combination of a f'ame, a revoluble drum supported therein, a plurality of sets. of radially adjustable type-carrying members on said drum, means for rotating the'drum, an impression device for pressing a paper strip against the types as they come opposite the impression device, means actuated by the drum for operating the impression device at the proper moments, and an ink ribbon With means for feeding it forward intermittently between the paper strip and the types.

5. In a machine for printing labels, the combination of a frame, a revoluble drum supported therein, a plurality of sets of adjust-able type-carrying members on said drum, means for rotating the drum, an impression device for pressing a paper strip intermittently against the types and means for actuating said device by the rotation of the drum, and a ratchet paperfeed device comprising a pair of gripping rollers With mechanism for actuating the same, and projections on the drum for operating said mechanism as thedrum rotates.

6. In a machine for printing labels, the combination of a frame, a revoluble drum supported therein, a plurality of sets of radially adjustable type-carrying members on said drum, means for rotating the drum, an impression device for pressing a paper strip against the types, and mechanism for operating the same bythe rotation of the drum, a perforating device comprising perforated plates between which the paper strips can pass, a perforating stamp with cam levers for operating the same, and means for operating saidcam levers by the rotation of the drum.

7. In a machine for printing labels on a paper strip the combination of a frame, a revolubledrum With sets of adjustable typecarrying members supported therein, means for turning the drum, an impression device for pressing the paper strip against the" types, a paper strip feeding device, a per,- forating device, and a set of adjustable projections on the drum adapted to actuate respectively said impression device, feeding device and perforating device at the required moments during the continuedrotationof the drum. g

8. In a machine for printing labelson a paper strip, the combination of'a revoluble drum bearing the types, means for supporting and for turning said drum, an impression device, a paper feed-device, and a perforating device, each such device having an arm for operating the same projecting to- Ward the drum, each arm being in a different plane from the other said arms, and adjustable cam members on the drum whereby said arms may be operated or not as may be required, according to the positions of setting of the cam members, as the drum rotates.

9. The combination with the drum 2 and its sets of radially adjustable type members 3, of means for turning the drum, a paper feed device, and the impression device 13 with the means for actuating it from the drum 2, substantially as described.

10. The combination With the drum 2 and its sets of radially adjustable type members 3, of means for pressing the paper strip at intervals of time against the types, and the paper feed mechanism ll- With its actuating feed device, and the perforating mechanism 15, with its actuating means, substantially as described.

12. The combination of? the drum 2 with its sets ofradially adjustable type-carrying members 3, and the slides 5 with handles 7 for adjusting the sets of members 3 into or out of the printing position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence 0:5 two witnesses.

HERB LYNN lVRONKER.

Witnesses:

J EAN GRUND, CARL GRUND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents 1 Washington, D. G. 

